La Condesa brings Texas-bred Mexican modernism to Napa next week

Everyone has been wondering about La Condesa, the St. Helena spinoff of the award-winning Austin restaurant bearing the same name.

Well, it’s finally ready to roll, with the official opening slated for — drumroll, please — next weekSeptember 12.

With this in mind, let’s blow the lid off the details.

La Condesa owners Jesse Herman and Delfo Trombetta have brought much of the formula that made the original Texas location, est. 2009, a success: modern Mexican cooking, cocktails, and lots of Tequila. Michael Bauer checked out La Condesa when he visited Austin earlier this year, describing its menu as “both creative and [speaking] of the region.”

The Napa location will bring some signatures over from the Austin menu, like the Arabicos taquitos: seared venison, pickled cucumber, chipotle harissa, and fennel pollen yogurt, rolled in a bacon fat tortilla. Also like Austin, there will also be dishes cooked on a wood-fired grill.

Chef-partner Rene Ortiz is putting together a few Napa touches, too, centered around the local/seasonal ingredients he’s found here. There will be squash blossoms stuffed with blue corn masa, Rancho Gordo black bean pasilla and goat cheese. There will be Taquitos de Cabeza: confit of pig’s head layered over tomatill, avocado, toasted cumin, radish, and cebollitas.

On the booze side, think over 200 Tequilas, 30 mezcals, and a list of cocktails. See the Austin drink menu to get an idea of what to expect.

The space — most recently AKA Bistro, which closed in February — was designed by architect Jon Lail, along with Joel Mozersky (One Eleven Design). The 105 total seats in the restaurant are divided between the main dining room (72), private dining area (11), and bar (22). Ortiz’s brother Cruz did the original artwork, and rumor has it there’s even a mounted head of a Mexican fighting bull somewhere in the restaurant.

To start, La Condesa will be open for dinner only; right now, they’re hoping for next Wednesday or Thursday Monday, Sept. 12. Brunch and lunch will follow eventually.